Villa 0-0 Sunderland
Villa failed to produce their Sunday-best on a frustrating afternoon at
Villa Park, as this fixture finished goalless for the second year in
succession.
John Gregory had hoped to see his side build on the stunning win at Anfield,
but it was not to be in a match of very few genuine chances.
Not surprisingly, the Villa boss kept faith with the starting 11 from that
triumph at Liverpool - Dion Dublin continuing alongside Darius Vassell
up-front.
The one surprise was perhaps the omission of Juan Pablo Angel from the
bench. Recent capture Bosko Balaban was named among the substitutes.
Villa's first opening came on four as Dublin brilliantly flicked Mellberg's
through ball into the path of Vassell, only to see his the England Under-21
striker foiled by McCartney.
A downpour just before kick-off made conditions slippery underfoot, with
several players losing their footing early on.
Vassell had no such problems on nine, latching onto Dublin's flick and
firing in a vicious left-foot shot that Macho did well to deflect wide for a
corner.
Dublin, obviously boosted by his goal at Anfield eight days ago was winning
a lot in the air against Sunderland centre-halves McCartney and Craddock.
Hendrie's clever turn after 14 minutes created Villa's next opening. He cut
infield from Wright's throw-in, but sent his 35-yard piledriver straight at
Macho in the Sunderland goal.
Niall Quinn had Sunderland's first half-chance on 19, sneaking in behind
Alpay, but he dragged his shot well wide from the edge of the box.
Alpay met Merson's corner on 24, but failed to get any real power into his
far-post header and Macho gathered comfortably.
The mid-period was notable only for the lack of real quality in the
final-third from either side, with the last ball all too often failing to
reach the intended target.
Vassell pounced on a defensive slip from Craddock on 40, but saw his shot
deflected just wide. Alpay's header from the subsequent corner went straight
to Macho.
Vassell's brilliant run down the left on 45, nut-megging Hass, also went
unrewarded. His cross was just too deep for Merson.
Seconds later, Quinn almost gave the visitors an undeserved lead, but saw
his header from an Arca corner brilliantly tipped over the bar by
Schmeichel.
Paul Merson almost broke the deadlock with the first real chance of the
second-half, but saw his brilliant half-volley from the edge of the box well
saved by Macho. Moments later, Michael Gray almost headed past his own
keeper under pressure from Vassell.
With Villa still struggling to make the breakthrough though, Merson made way
for Ginola on 55, as Gregory looked to the Frenchman for some magic.
Sunderland had a penalty appeal dismissed on 60 as Phillips claimed he had
been felled by Mellberg. Less than a minute later, Phillips headed
Sunderland's best chance so-far straight at Schmeichel.
Vassell shot just wide on 62 after a jinking run in from the left and it
appeared to be just a matter of time before we had the first goal of the
afternoon. Still the deadlock continued, prompting Gregory to introduce
Croatian hitman Balaban on 68.
Alpay's brilliantly timed challenge denied Phillips on 70, just as the
England striker was shaping-up to shoot from six-yards out.
Four minutes later Hendrie blazed just over the bar after cutting in from
the left and seconds after that the same man dragged a long-range effort
just wide.
Ginola worked his magic on 79, sprinting away down the left, leaving
defenders trailing in his wake, but the eventual shot was deflected tamely
wide for a corner.
With the seconds ticking away, Kachloul mis-cued his shot on 87, before
Vassell narrowly failed to make contact with Ginola's left-wing cross.
Phillips looked to have carved out an opening for himself a minute later as
he took the ball around Schmeichel. In doing so though, he was forced wide
and screwed a shot over the bar from an acute angle.
That was the last moment of note on a frustrating afternoon for both sides,
with a draw probably the fair result in the end